Bond (Drarry)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

January 21 - January 23

Day 115, Thursday (continued)

"What! Who-"

"I don't know, I'd never heard of him, but somehow Father found him. He's been arrested and taken to the Ministry for interrogation, but tomorrow he'll be here. He's going to take off the curse." Malfoy swallowed hard. "We... we're going to be free."

Harry gaped at him. "T-tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

They stared at each other, and Harry distantly thought that he couldn't have described what either of them was feeling right now if his life depended on it.

"That's... incredible," he said numbly.

"Yeah." Malfoy looked down, and Harry realized he was trembling, his nerves razor-sharp. They both were. He touched Malfoy's shoulder, not sure why - to question or celebrate or comfort or be comforted or what - but decided it didn't really matter as Malfoy moved into his embrace unhesitatingly, holding him close for a long moment, then pulled back a little, smiled slightly. "You look like I felt about five minutes ago," he said a little unsteadily.

Harry gulped. "So... what happened?"

"That's all I know. Except his name is Parnassus McKay, which doesn't mean anything to me. I don't recognize him as a Death Eater, but then, I don't know all of them-" Malfoy abruptly closed his mouth, his body stiffening slightly, sudden alarm flashing through him. Harry drew in his breath sharply.

"No, don't - don't block me out yet-" he said quickly, his heart sinking.

Malfoy gave him a sharp look but took a deep breath and deliberately relaxed himself, resting his forehead against Harry's, and they lapsed into silence again.

Free, thought Harry, still more than a little stunned. No more bond. No more forced proximity, no more spending time with Slytherins, no more distance from his own friends and house, no more awkward silences whenever politics came up. No more nagging fear of being hurt if anything happened to Malfoy, no more trying to make something work that had so much stacked against it...

Free to go where he wanted. Free to play Quidditch, spend time with his own friends, think of becoming an Auror, get a flat with Ron without worrying about what Malfoy would think of it. Free to be single and seventeen years old again.

Free.

"What do we do now?" Harry said quietly when he could think semi-clearly again.

"I don't know," Malfoy replied just as quietly. "I suppose we go back in there, explain what's happened. You all right to go back?"

Harry nodded numbly.

"And then... then after that I suppose... I suppose we ought to get ready, or something - I'm not sure how, frankly, but..."

Harry shook his head, mind still reeling as they walked back into the Great Hall.

"What is it?" Parkinson asked as they came back to the study group. "What was the message from your father?"

They looked at each other uncertainly, then back at the group.

"Harry?" Hermione said worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Malfoy exchanged a small smile with Harry, then cleared his throat. "Oh, nothing's wrong. My father caught the caster of the curse, that's all."

"What!" cried out several voices at once, and Harry had to smile at their flabbergasted expressions. He and Malfoy shared an amused glance and sat back down, realizing the study session was probably not going to happen after all.